The Real Second Cullen
by Kathleen7295
Summary: Instead of Edward being the first vampire Carlisle changed...Bella was. Not only that, she was his first, and true, mate. They were separated centuries ago, but they are reunited in present day Forks. Sorry. I suck at summaries.
1. Chapter 1

**Alrighty. Rewrite of The Real Second Cullen, Chapter one. Enjoy.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Bella P.O.V.<strong>

Despite the fact that I knew with a bone-deep certainty that I could catch the grizzly I was hunting with no problem, when he picked up his pace, I did too. Since I was lacking a weapon, my run was unhindered, not even by the loose, flowing sun dress I wore.

I crept closer to the enormous bear, crouching low, preparing to leap at him. My lips curled back from my glistening white teeth, and I could practically feel blackness expanding from my pupil to the outer-edge of my iris's, making the color even darker. I was _thirsty_. I already taste the warm, sweet blood rushing down my throat, soothing the burn there.

I crouched even lower, venom filling my mouth, and...

...a stray breeze crossed my path, blowing into my face. More instinctively than anything, I took a deep breath, promptly freezing as the scent-one I hadn't caught in more than three hundred years-registered in my brain.

I straightened as if in a trance, completely ignoring the bear, and followed the scent.

It lead me to a clearing. As intoxicated as I was by the smell, my instincts kicked in, and I lingered at the tree line, staring at the white mansion in the middle of the clearing-the mansion that I just _knew_ that smell disappeared into. Finally, after a long moment, I took another deep breath, letting my gift overwhelm me as I did so. A tingle covered my entire body as my medium-brown hair turned pitch black, my black eyes to green, my icy pale skin to tan, as well as giving myself a faux heartbeat and warmth.

I exhaled, and with that breath, I pushed away my nervousness-a rather foreign emotion to me-to the back of my mind, and crossed the clearing. I walked silently up the porch, knocking politely on the door. Even though the outer part of my body said 'human', I was still very much nonhuman, so I could hear all the subtle noises inside stop. there was a rush of words, so soft even I was unable to clearly hear it, before the door was opened by a tall, lean, young-looking, honey eyed and haired male.

Immediately, I took a handful of steps back, for a handful of reasons. Firstly was because of the male-his skin was covered in crescent shaped scars, paler than the rest of his skin. To an innocent observer, they would look harmless, but to me, they screamed _danger_. Secondly was because of the smell that rushed out at me-the smell of six-six, not counting the one in front of me-came shooting out at me. Luckily, I recognized one as the scent I'd been following.

"May I help you?" the guy asked, returning my attention to him. His voice, containing the same alluring tones of all of our kind, was just this side of rude, and was accented by a rather distinct Southern accent.

"Is there a man by the name of Carlisle Cullen living here?" I asked politely.

Instantly, the guys eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Who wants to know?" he asked, voice mimicking his face. Before I could answer, someone else spoke. I swear my unbeating heart nearly, well, beat in response to the voice-one I thought I'd never, ever hear again.

"Jasper, don't be rude." the newcomer said reprimandingly. "I'm sure she means no harm." he added, appearing at the door beside the Southerner-apparently Jasper-gently pushing him back. He stood in front of me, studying me with kind golden eyes while I tried desperately to do something other than gawk at him. But it was hard, considering that my body wasn't exactly listening to me at the moment. It took every inch of my control not to fling myself into his arms.

Finally, I breathed, "Carlisle." his face, which had been kind and welcoming a mere moment before, faded into confusion.

"Isa-" he began. Abruptly, he cut himself off, shaking his head. "No, it's impossible." he murmured, low enough that he'd think I couldn't hear.

"Do I know you?" he asked, squinting as if it could make his perfect eyesight better.

"You mean you don't remember me?" I asked, feigning hurt. He blinked a few times.

"Admittedly, you remind me of someone I used to know, but there's no way you're her." his voice turned sad at the end, and I couldn't bear it anymore. I let my fake features melt from face and body, returning everything to normal-my hair to chestnut, eyes to black, skin to white, my heartbeat and heat fading to nothing.

"Whoa." Jasper said, still peering over Carlisle's shoulder, his golden eyes big. Carlisle's eyes were also wide, but for a different reason, I sensed.

"Isabella?" he said, somewhat wonderingly. "Bella now." I told him quietly. I waited for his response, but he had frozen.

"Carlisle." I said, a little sharply. He blinked once, though the rest of his body remained perfectly still. And then, so fast that even I had trouble catching it, he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me to his chest.

"Bella." he said quietly, so quietly that the only reason I heard it was because my ear was pressed to his chest. I tilted my head back, smiling up at him. Before I could think better of it, I pushed myself upwards, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. He compensated for my change in position instantly, still holding me tightly as I hooked my feet behind his back.

I rested my forehead against his, closing my eyes. He did as well, and neither of us moved the slightest bit. A moment later, Carlisle broke the silence.

"I missed you." his voice was quiet, and his face was so close to mine that his lips brushed mine for the briefest of moments. I reopened my eyes to meet his, but closed them again instantly when he brushed his lips against mine in a real kiss. I sighed, my arms tightening around his neck. I felt, more than saw, his smile, and his body shifted infinitesimally as he leaned in for another kiss.

Before his lips could touch mine again, however, Jasper cleared his throat. I let out a small groan, dropping my forehead back against Carlisle's and shaking my head. Carlisle smiled slightly, and let me drop to the ground.

"I am completely confused." Jasper said, his voice slightly accusing. Carlisle and I looked at him, then back at eachother. "Am I allowed to come in?" I asked. He smiled at me.

"Of course." he said quietly, lacing our fingers together. I allowed him to lead me into the house, Jasper following closely behind us. Carlisle led me to the room which I assumed was the living room-'living' being the relative term. In the room, five other vampires waited for us. Jasper bypassed Carlisle and I, going to stand next to a tiny, black-haired, pixie like girl.

All five vampires stared at us with wary golden eyes. A stunning blonde female-stunning even for one of us-leaning against the far wall said, more than a little snippily, "Who are you?"

"I might be asking you the same question. i replied, my voice matching hers. Carlisle gave me a sharp look from the corner of his eye-not a reprimand, just one of surprise. I bit my lip anyway, wincing a little at what felt like a chastisement, and his fingers tightened on mine.

"I'm sorry." I said grudgingly. "I'm not exactly comfortable with giving my name." I added quietly. An awkward silence descended on the room, before Carlisle, ever the peacemaker, broke it.

"This is Rosalie," he gestured towards the stunning blonde female-

"Her mate, Emmet," a huge, brawny guy with a shock of dark brown hair.

"Alice," the tiny pixie girl,

"Her mate, Jasper. Edward," a male, shorter and less muscular than the rest, who had wild bronze hair.

"And Esme. She was my mate until recently." Esme was slender and soft, practically radiating maternal-ness. She had a gentle, heart shaped face, and long chestnut hair. I met the eyes of each as Carlisle introduced them.

"I'm Isabella. But I prefer Bella." I said softly when he was done. Before I could blink, Alice was in front of me, wrapping me in a tight hug.

"Hi, Bella!" she said cheerfully. I resisted the urge to stumble back a step, replying, "Um, hi."

I felt a pair of holes burning into me, and looked up, meeting Edward's fierce, brooding golden gaze. I stared back at him warily until something flashed in his eyes and he looked down. By that time, Alice had stepped away from me, much to my relief, but was replaced by Esme, who merely offered me a slender hand, which I shook briefly.

"Welcome to our home, Bella." she said warmly. I smiled at her-something about her made me want to trust her, even though I knew she'd been Carlisle's mate.

"If I may, how did you come to know Carlisle?" she added. "Yeah, I've been wondering that too." Jasper jumped in. I ignored him, but looked up at Carlisle. He met my eyes, his own uncertain. Something he saw in my face must have reassured him, because he looked back at his family.

His hand tightened on mine a little before he said unceremoniously, "Edwards was not the first vampire I changed. Bella was."

The entire room froze, six pairs of eyes staring at Carlisle and I in astonishment. After a moment, Jasper managed to choke out, "What?"

Carlisle met my eyes. "It is your story, Bella. You should be the one to tell it." "It is also yours." I reminded him. He shook his head a little, rolling his eyes, though a small grin curved his mouth. Absently, he leaned his head down and rubbed his cheek against the top of my head.

"Stubborn." he said affectionately. I grinned up at him before he began speaking.

"Thirty years after I was changed, I was walking down a street in central England, when I heard thuds and a woman's cries coming from one of the houses. I have to admit that it peaked my curiosity, so I stole a look inside the window of the house. Inside, I saw an older man beating a teenage girl with an iron fire-poker. The girl was half-dead, but the man was relentless."

By the end of this, his warm voice had roughened into a growl, which turned into a snarl loud enough to shake the foundations of the house. I saw his golden eyes fade to black. By the way the others stared at him, I guessed that they'd never seen him act like that before. I reached out, putting my hand on his arm.  
>He looked at me, amber flooding back into his eyes, and took a deep, unnecessary breath before lacing his long fingers through mine. I picked up the thread of the story.<p>

"Obviously, the girl he saw was me. The man beating me was my father. He was angry at me because he believed I'd done something to dishonor my family." I shook my head. "I don't even remember what I did anymore." I said quietly.

I shook myself before continuing. "Anyway. Carlisle broke through the window, stopping my father before he could hit me again. I thought I was dead, and that Carlisle was an angel sent to take me to heaven. He shattered the fire poker, and nearly killed my father. However, he stopped short, warning him that if he ever did anything remotely like he'd done to me to anyone else, he wouldn't hesitate to kill him. My father was scared silly, unable to move a single muscle. Carlisle lifted me from the floor-I'd fallen after he'd attacked my father-and jumped out the window."

Carlisle took over again. "Bella's injuries were far too extensive for a doctor to save her, so, seeing no other option, I changed her. For the next few decades, Bella and I traveled together. I taught her to hunt only animals, never humans. After a while, Bella decided to go her own way. I went to the Volturi for a while, working on getting my bloodlust under control. From there, you know the rest."

He turned to me. "And what happened to you, Bella?" his voice was quietly searching.

I took a deep breath. "I was taken by the Volturi. Now that I know you were there, I realize we were probably there simultaneously. However, they kept me hidden, so I rarely saw anyone else-human or otherwise-when I went out hunting. They found my gift to be very...useful. They tried their best to break me of my animal hunting habits, but you had taught me too well, Carlisle. Nearly two centuries later, I managed to leave. I've been on my own ever since."

I fell quiet, tightening my grip on Carlisle's hand. He pressed his lips absentmindedly to my temple in response as Emmet asked curiously, "What _is_ your gift?"

"I can change any of my features into anything I can think of, as long as it is humanoid."

"Truly?" Edward asked. I realized it was the first word he'd spoken, and it was heavily laced with skepticism, but I could tell he was intrigued, at least a little.  
>In response, I closed my eyes. After a moment, I reopened them, trying not to respond to the astonished gasps. I'd changed my eyes to chocolate, skin to tan, wavy mahogany hair to black curls. A minute passed before I changed back.<p>

"Cool." Emmet said, his voice awed. I chuckled, but didn't say anything.

Without warning, my throat burst into flame, reminding me of what I'd been doing before I'd been distracted by Carlisle's scent. I took a step towards the door after freeing my hand from Carlisle's, only to stop when Carlisle put his hand gently on my shoulder.

"Where are you going?" he asked, voice a little hurt.

"I need to hunt." I told him, pointing to my eyes. "Oh. May-" he began, but was cut off by Jasper.

"How do we know you are who you say you are?" his voice was deadly quiet.

"Jasper!" Esme gasped reprimandingly. He shrugged, and Rosalie came to his defense.

"Actually, he's right. You can change the way you look. How do we know you're not making yourself look like this Bella girl? And no one has ever left the Volturi - well, no one but Carlisle. But still. How did _you_ manage to get away?"

"It wasn't hard to get out, seeing as I can change how I look." I said, somewhat evasively. They gave me wary looks. I sighed. Were we already back to this?

"Look, you will just have to trust me."

"Sorry. I'm afraid that I can't take your word for that, so, Edward, if you wouldn't mind..." Jasper trailed off. Edward stared even harder at me before grunting, "She's blank. I can't read her mind."

"What?" the sound of four vampires saying the single word at once rebounded off the walls. Edward didn't take back what he'd said, instead dropping his eyes to the floor.

The rest of them returned their attention to me. Emmet strode forward.

"I hate to say this-I really do, because I honestly like you-but until we are totally sure that you're telling the truth, you've gotta stay here." his tone was honestly remorseful, but he reached for me anyway. Instantly, I darted back a step, easily evading his grip.

"You can't keep me here." I said calmly. I wasn't bragging, merely stating a fact.

"Bet I can." he responded, his eyes lighting up with the thought of a challenge.

"You'll have to catch me first." I responded, a little surprised at how teasing my voice was.

"No problem." he grinned, darting towards me. With barely a thought, I dodged him again. He tried to catch me a few more times, and I avoided him each time. Finally, he straightened, laughing.

"Damn. I've never seen anyone move that fast, not even Eddie."

I grinned back. "Thanks. But I really do need to hunt."

"I'll go with her." Carlisle said before anyone else could reply.

"Are you sure? You're eyes are really light. You couldn't have hunted more than a day ago." I protested. It was true-his eyes were a warm, liquid topaz. Hastily, I looked away from his eyes, abruptly feeling a little weak in the knees.

"Are you _trying_ to get rid of me?" Carlisle asked, his voice teasing. I rolled my eyes, grabbed his hand, yanking him after me.

"Come on, old man. Let's hunt." I pretend-grumbled. He laughed, and began running beside me.

* * *

><p><strong>Okey-dokey. This isn't exactly a new chapter...it's a rewrite. I was rather dissatisfied with the previous chapters, so I will be redoing all of them. I feel like I backed myself into a corner with the previous one. So...<strong>

**Anyway, hope you enjoy. If theres any mistakes, I apologize-I was watching the Karate Kid as I wrote this. Reviews are my favorite.  
><strong>


	2. Just an AN

Okay, This isnt an update, but there'll be one soon, I promise.

I just wanted to say that

A) Thanks for the great response to my story,

and

B) I have a photo of Carlisle and Bella on my profile page. Just wanted you to know.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the next chapter!**

**disclaimer: i dont own Twilight. **

We made our way through the wood's around the Cullen's house, me taking down a grizzly and a lion, Carlisle taking down a small deer. Afterward, Carlisle led me to a huge, open, beautiful meadow.

I stared in awe for a minute, then turned to Carlisle. The words died on my lips as I saw him staring at me, gold eyes smoldering. Seemingly of its own accord, Carlisle's long white hand raised and skimmed his fingers along my cheekbones. The trail he left burned pleasantly. He cupped my cheek, and I leaned into his hand, closing my eyes. Carlisle's lips softly parted mine, and I sighed into the kiss. Carlisle pulled back, then gave me a quick peck. Wanting more, I pulled him in in a deep kiss. His tongue lightly skimmed along my lip, and I opened my mouth. A few kisses later, he wrapped me in a tight hug and murmured "I really did miss you." I smiled at him and he led me to the center of the field, where he sat down.

His legs were extended, and he propped himself up on his elbows. I got down beside him, and leaned against him. His hand came up and stroked my hair, and we went flat on our backs. I shifted so I was lying partly on his chest, my head over where his heartbeat would be. I shivered a little at the feel of his breath on the back of my neck. A stray beam of sunlight broke through the clouds, catching Carlisle and I in its rays. I felt Carlisle shift and heard his breathing hitch. I tilted my head back to look at him, finding him staring at me. "Beautiful." he murmured. Louder he said, "You know I love you, right?" "I kind of had a clue." I replied. Chuckling, Carlisle kissed me.

"Carlisle?" "Mmm?" "Why didn't you tell them you proposed to me?" he froze, then answered my question with a question. "Do you still have the ring?" "Of course!" I said, surprised. I lifted a slender chain from my neck, where a intricate diamond ring glittered. "I'm sorry I never came back. Almost as soon as I left, the Volturi came for me. I hoped for weeks that you'd come get me, but you never did." "I thought you were dead," he said defensively. "I know. Does the offer still stand?" I asked.

He took the ring from me and sat up. He played with it for a minute, then knelt in front of me. "Isabella Marie Swan?" he began seriously. A smile spread across my face. "Yes?" "Will you do me the supreme honor of becoming my wife?" I nodded, still smiling, and he slid the ring onto my finger, and kissed me. We both laid back down, just enjoying each others company. After a few hours, I reluctantly stood with a sigh, and held my hand out to the insanely handsome man lying at my feet. "Come on. We should probably be getting back." "We should." he agreed, and took my hand.

But instead of allowing me to pull him up, he pulled me down. I landed on top of him, my hands on his shoulders. I met his eyes, and shivered at the look in them. He captured my lips with his, and his hands slid under my shirt, resting on my lower back. I deftly undid his shirt and pulled it off him, then tossed it to the side. My legs tangled in his, and he pulled me closer as I sighed in pleasure. In that moment, the world could have ended, and neither of us would've noticed. That is, until a wolf whistle echoed through the clearing. Carlisle and I ignored it, and it came again.

Carlisle's hand slid out from under my shirt, and flipped the people making the sounds off. A chuckle sounded, and Carlisle growled "Go away!" against my lips. I smiled and kissed him harder. Emmet's low voice said, "Dude, this is something you _never _want to see your dad doing." I levered myself off Carlisle, and we both looked toward the source. Emmet, Jasper, and Edward stood watching us. The first two had amused expressions, while Edward's face was strangely impassive. "Come on, lovebirds. Back to the house." I sighed yet again, and jumped up, Carlisle following and pulling on his shirt, swiftly buttoning it as he did. The others disappeared into the woods, and Carlisle smiled at me. "Race ya?" "Yes!"

we started off simultaneously. I matched him for each stride, but slowly, he was pulling away from me. I leaped for a tree limb, and Carlisle looked up, laughing as I swung from limb to limb. I swung myself down onto his shoulders, and he tried to shake me off. I kissed his neck, sucking a little, and he stumbled. I jumped off his shoulders and left him in the dust, arriving at the house seconds before he did. "I win." I smiled. "Yes, well you…distracted me." "That never would have happened before. Why did it now?" suddenly, he was very serious. "Bella, I haven't seen, heard, or felt your touch in two centuries. So yes, you kissing my neck would distract me."

I was serious too, and pulled him toward me. "I'm sorry." I whispered. He gave a sad smile, and kissed me, then took my hand, and we walked into the house. "So, do you have to go to work tomorrow? And what exactly is your job?" "I work at the hospital. I'm the lead doctor. And as much as I hate to say it, yes, I have to go to work tomorrow." "Oh." I said sadly. Carlisle settled in an armchair, and I sat on his lap, tucking myself neatly next to him. He kissed the top of my head, and I realized the family was staring at us. "What?" Carlisle and I said simultaneously. "Well-it's just-we've never seen you like this before, Carlisle. Your always so…reserved. But with her, you're open, no barriers. Honestly, you look so happy it looks like you could burst into song at any second." Rosalie explained. Carlisle chuckled, and Alice ran forward. "Let me see, let me see!" "Huh?' I asked, confused.

Alice grabbed my hand without answering and inspected the ring, and Carlisle said, "Alice can see the future." "Any other gifts in your family?" I asked. Jasper, leaning against the wall, volunteered, "I can tell what other people are feeling. That's about it for our family. What are you? I mean, are you a shield or something? We know you can change your appearance." "Not a shield, exactly. It's just that most gifts don't affect me." "Hmm." Alice gave me my hand back. "So when's the wedding?" Carlisle and I exchanged glances. "Um, we haven't really thought about it." Carlisle and I looked at each other again, and a date occurred to both of us. "July 27th." we said simultaneously. The day we met, or more accurately, the day Carlisle saved me.

"Are you _serious_? That only gives me 2 months to plan! Well, I guess it has to be done." Carlisle and I's laughs mingled. Alice rushed off to do who knows what, and eventually, the rest of the family filtered off. But Carlisle and I stayed cuddled together until he had to leave in the morning. I waved goodbye, then stiffened a little as Alice came up behind me. "Bella?" "Yes?" "Do you want to go shopping for the wedding today?" I groaned. "Do I have to?" "Well, you could give me your preferences of color and style…" "No bright colors like yellow or hot pink. 2 colors only. Either very modern or old timey. That's about it." "Yay! Thanks, Bella!" Alice gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and ran off. I watched her go, amused, then turned back to the door. I wandered outside, moving aimlessly about the woods, before I glanced at my watch. Carlisle had only been gone an hour. I groaned, and tried to think of things to do. I pondered the idea of getting new clothes, and was about to set off when Alice appeared. "I saw you shopping." she explained. She led me to the house. "We'll shop some other day. But I bet Rose will let you borrow some clothes for today." "Oh-kay." she led me to Rose and Emmet's room, where she yanked out a pair of jeans and a tank top, which I quickly shimmied into. Then Alice tossed me some keys. "Yellow Porsche." she said. I smiled, and ran to the huge car garage. I hopped in the Porsche and started the car.

**Sorry it so short. Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Previously:**

Alice led me to the house. "We'll shop some other day. But I bet Rose will let you borrow some clothes for today." "Oh-kay." she led me to Rose and Emmet's room, where she yanked out a pair of jeans and a tank top, which I quickly shimmied into. Then Alice tossed me some keys. "Yellow Porsche." she said. I smiled, and ran to the huge car garage. I hopped in the Porsche and started the car.

* * *

><p>I drove without realizing I was going, not paying attention to any of my surroundings. When I looked up, I found myself in front of the Forks hospital. I smiled, and parked. I meandered in, stopping at the front desk. The woman behind the desk looked up, eyes narrowing. "Yes?" "My name is Bella Swan. I'm here for Doctor Carlisle Cullen." "Aren't we all." she said, so low she expected me not to hear. "I need his medical help." "What's wrong?" "Um, I'd prefer only to share with Doctor Cullen." "Fine. Sit."<p>

I nodded and moved to a waiting chair. Fairly soon, a male orderly stood and said, "Bella Swan?" I stood, and the guy gulped as he looked me up and down. "This way please." he said, voice wavering. I followed him to a hospital room. Almost immediately after I sat on the bed, he left, eager to get himself under control. A female nurse came in, and started asking me questions as she filled out a form. "Name?" "Isabella Swan." "Age and birth date?" "18, December 15th." Carlisle arrived, his eyes widening when he saw me. The nurse, oblivious, continued.

"What's wrong, dear?" "Uh, my vision is…blurry." Carlisle began to grin. "Anything else?" "My, uh, leg hurts." "Alright." she gently felt down my left and right leg. I barely remembered to go "ow" albeit unconvincingly, before she reached the ankle of my right leg. Carlisle choked on a laugh, and coughed to cover it. The nurse turned. "Hello, Doctor. I'll leave the rest to you." Carlisle managed to keep a straight face. "Thank you, Betty."

Betty left, and Carlisle approached the bed, not saying a word until he was sure that Betty had left, then burst into laughter. "Bella" he managed to gasp out. I grinned and stood, and Carlisle wrapped his arms around me. "Bella, you are a horrible liar." I laughed too, and Carlisle kissed me. "What are you doing here?" "I was bored without you, and slightly depressed. I don't think I'll be able to let you completely out of my sight for a while." "Same for you, my dear." he nuzzled my neck, and placed a gentle kiss at the corner of my jaw.

I held his arms tightly so I wouldn't collapse as he kissed lightly down my neck. I arched my neck to give him better access, then a thought occurred to me. "Carlisle?" "Mmm?" he murmured, lips whispering against my skin. "Uh…I forgot what I was going to say. You distracted me." Carlisle pulled away, but I could still smell him on my skin. "No, don't stop." Carlisle smirked and resumed his attentions on my neck. "What if I was a new doctor here? I know a lot about medical stuff, and I could be your assistant." against the curve where my neck met my shoulder, Carlisle murmured, "Well, the staff does know Esme and I are divorced, so that would open up you and I to kiss in public, and show our engagement." his voice turned warm and happy at the word.

"That's actually a rather good idea, Bella." "Thank you, thank you." I said laughingly. Carlisle chuckled and resumed kissing my neck, harder than before. A minute or two later, I shoved him away. "Sorry. I wouldn't have been able to take that much longer without wanting to…go farther, and that most likely wouldn't be appropriate in a hospital." "No, probably not." Carlisle chuckled. "Okay. Let's get started on this faux doctor thing." I said. "You know where I could find a white coat?" "Of course."

Carlisle disappeared for a second, and reappeared with a doctor coat in hand. I shrugged into it, then turned around, finding myself nose to nose with Carlisle. He kissed my lips lightly, then smiled. I followed him out of the room, to the front desk. "Terri?" she looked up at Carlisle, and, not seeing me, turned flirtatious. "Why, hello, Dr. Cullen! What can I help you with?" I grimaced at the double meaning in her words. "Terri, could you please spread the word that Miss Bella Swan is here?" "That pale girl from earlier? Why?" "Well, she's actually a doctor from Phoenix, and a good friend of mine." Carlisle grabbed my hand and pulled me forward.

I reached forward and shook her hand. "Hello, Terri. It's nice to formally meet you." "You too." she replied, smiling fakely. She was worried, I could tell. Probably because of the 'good friend,' part of what Carlisle said. I started to pull my hand back, but she flipped it over, baring my ring to the world. I got a happy shiver from the sight of it.

"Wow, that's a beautiful ring! So, you're engaged?" she asked gleefully, "Yes, I am." "I'm guessing it's to a guy back in Phoenix. What's his name?" "Actually, no, it's not a guy in Phoenix." "Oh?" she said, slightly worried again. "In fact, I've only gotten officially engaged recently." "To who?" "Him." I said, leaning my head on Carlisle's shoulder. "Really?" she asked, distinctly unenthusiastic.

Carlisle nodded, wrapping an arm around my waist and kissing the top of my head. "Congrats." she said dryly. I glowed, and after an awkward moment of silence, Carlisle said, "Well, we better get going. Thanks for your help, Terri." She managed a grimacing smile, and I followed Carlisle into the hall. "Let's get started. You'll be making the rounds with me." "What will I be doing, exactly?" "You'll be helping me. Also, I think your presence will help some of the male patients, beautiful."

He raised his eyebrows and looked me up and down. "Carlisle Cullen!" I gasped. "Did you just check me out?" "Yes, I did." I grinned, stood on my toes, and kissed him. He lingered on my lips, then pulled away with a sigh."We better be going on the rounds, I suppose." "Do we have to?" I sighed. Carlisle chuckled. "I have a feeling that if we don't start now, we wont ever get around to it." "Fine."

Carlisle grabbed my hand and led me to the first patients room, where he kept firm hold of my hand until he had to examine the patient, and then he would grab my hand again as soon as he was done. He tended to rub his thumb over the back of my hand, and it felt really good. A lot of people gawked at us, the women at Carlisle, men at me. Then, the women would glare at me, and the men at Carlisle as they saw our clasped hands and my ring.

Finally, the end of the day rolled around, and Carlisle and I drove home. As soon as we arrived at the Cullen's, I yanked Carlisle into the woods for a run. We ran for several hours, briefly hunting along the way. Eventually, we arrived at a small clearing. I scaled a tree on the edge, Carlisle joining me.

He sat with his back against the trunk of the tree, and I sat in between his legs, leaning against his chest. Carlisle ran his lips over my shoulder, and I stretched a little, giving him better access. Suddenly, he froze. "Carlisle?" he didn't respond, and when I glanced back, the expression on his face actually caused a thrill of fear to go through me. Carlisle's lips pulled back in a silent snarl.

**Um, sorry it was so short. I'll try to make the next update longer. Please continue to read and review! Lots o' luv to all my readers!**


	5. AN

**Hey, everybody. **

**Sorry I havent uploaded. **

**I will try to update the stories with actual chapters as soon as I can;**

**however, I started at a new school this year, that is a lot harder than my old one.**

**So please forgive me if I dont update regularly. I will try my best.**

**Please, be patient, and thank you for all the wonderful reviews. If you have any questions or comments, go ahead and ask/tell.**

**Luv to all my readers.**

**Kathleen7295**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey, all. Sorry I havent updated in so long. Here's the new chapter. Sorry it is so short. Anyway, here we go. However, before I begin, I would like to address a review, submited by hellofascination:**

**in reply to your review, Thanks for the information that vampires mate for life. However, that will not chage the way I write my stories. I respect your opinion, but again, it will not change how I write. If you dont like it, dont read it. **

**There, the issue is resolved. Love you all.**

* * *

><p><strong>PREVIOUSLY: <strong>He-Carlisle- sat with his back against the trunk of the tree, and I sat in between his legs, leaning against his chest. Carlisle ran his lips over my shoulder, and I stretched a little, giving him better access. Suddenly, he froze. "Carlisle?" he didn't respond, and when I glanced back, the expression on his face actually caused a thrill of fear to go through me. Carlisle's lips pulled back in a silent snarl.

* * *

><p>"Carlisle, what's wrong?" I asked. Moving fast, Carlisle lifted his arm and pulled down the collar of my shirt, baring the top of my left shoulder. Baring a vampire bite mark, deeper and more prominent than normal. "What is this?" he growled. "Nothing." I said, trying to wiggle away, causing him to hold me tighter with his right arm. "Bella," he said with a slight warning to his voice. "Fine. When I was with the Volturi, we had a few…problems." "Such as?" "If I didn't do as I was told, they were reluctant to hurt me, but I could only take my defiance so far. They would let some of their lackeys attack me. I learned to fight them off, but I still got bit several times." "Is that where this one came from?" I sighed. "Please tell me the truth, Bella." "You remember Felix, I'm sure?" Carlisle nodded.<p>

"He was my guard at first, the one who made sure I wouldn't-wait, couldn't- get away. He became obsessed with me, and asked me to marry him. I told him no, I was already engaged, and he…well, lets just say he reacted badly. He started kissing my mouth and shoulder, and I tried to shove him off. He was on my shoulder at that point, and bit me as punishment. I kept trying to shove him off, but every time I did, he bit harder and grinded his teeth." Carlisle was frozen, still holding me.

His finger came up and traced the scar. "Where are the others?" he said coldly. I flinched, and Carlisle instantly pulled me in tighter. His lips rested against my neck, and he said, "I'm sorry, Bella." I grimaced, and lifted my shirt, slowly pointing out my scars. There was one on my hip, on my calf, my heel, and just over my ribs. Carlisle brushed his fingers lightly over each one, and left his lips on the one on my shoulder. Eventually, he raised his head, his eyes clear and calm. "I'm sorry if I scared you, my dear." "It's alright, Carlisle. I know you'd never hurt me." Carlisle said nothing, only smiled. I leaned against him, blissfully happy. "Carlisle, what day is it?" "May2nd. Why?" "When does school start?" "August 14." "I do need to be registered." "I know." Carlisle said with a sigh, and continued.

"I don't even want to think about you being away from me for eight hours." "Me neither. If I could, I'd stay with you all day." "Well, why don't you? You're legally an adult, nearly twenty times over, and you have a job with me at the hospital. Don't go to school. There's really no reason for you to." "You don't have to tell me twice. I will gladly miss high school-again." Carlisle smiled, and leaned in for a kiss. "Yo, lovebirds! Time to come back to the nest!" I opened my eyes, seeing Emmet at the edge of the clearing.

I was on my feet in an instant, flying at him. I tackled him, making sure not to hurt him, and laughed. "Dude, you need to stop interrupting us." I said. "But-" "Look. Carlisle and I haven't been together for three centuries. We deserve a little peace and quiet, yes?" "Fine." Emmet grumbled. I smiled my thanks, and tousled his hair before letting him up. He stood immediately, grumbling and smoothing his hair down. I blinked, and Carlisle appeared next to me. Emmet melted into the forest, and I melded myself into Carlisle's side. "My dear." Carlisle said warmly. "My love." I replied. He smiled, and kissed me. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck. "My heart." he murmured. I smiled. "Well, I cant top that." he grinned. "Carlisle?" "Yes?" "Will-will you teach me to fight?" he froze.

"Carlisle, think of it from my perspective. I don't want you hurt trying to protect me, and I cant call you every single time I'm in trouble. What if I'm across the country or something?" "Bella, you will never be that far from me. Never again." "Maybe not, but if you get killed trying to protect me…" I shuddered, and my thoughts broke off there. "No." "What?" I asked surprised. "No. I wont teach you to fight. However, Jasper can." "Really?" I asked, even more surprised. He shrugged, and I grinned.

I bounded up on my toes, lips pressing against his. "There is one thing we need to do, though." I raised my eyebrows. "Yes?" I prodded. "Go to the school and get the others registered. Esme is going to be a teacher there." "What's her 'relation' to us?" "My sister." "Okay. When do we go get them registered?" "A few months from now." "Before or after the wedding?" Carlisle paused, considering. "Well, now that you mention it, we should probably register them just before the wedding, so we don't have to come home early from the honey moon."

"Just wondering. Why do I need to go with you? Not that I don't want to, but-" "Well, you're going to be part of this family, and you'll be their 'mother'." "In name only, yes?" "Oh, come on, they're not that bad. Are they?" "No. But I don't want them to feel like I'm trying to replace Esme." "I see your point. Esme was already pretty mother like, even with only one child, Edward. You marrying me wont take the mothering away from Esme. But yes, essentially in name only. In public, you'll introduce them as your children." "That is fine with me." Carlisle smiled and kissed me.

I kissed him back, and leaned against him. After a minute, I quietly groaned. "What is wrong?" Carlisle asked me. "Listen to the way we are speaking." Carlisle went quiet, reviewing the last few minutes in his mind. "I do not see any problem." "When we are together, we regain our original way of speaking. No abbreviations, and we phrase things differently." "Ah. I still do not see a problem." "If we speak like we are now, people shall know that we are different." "Oh." I smiled up at him, instantly relaxing his tightened expression.

There were a few moments of silence before I said, very casually, "So where will the wedding be held?" Carlisle didn't answer, instead leaning us back down on the ground, me underneath him. His hands were on either side of my head. His long legs tangled with mine, and I stopped breathing at the look in his eyes. "I cant believe we're finally getting married." he murmured, instead of answering my question. I reached up and touched his face, then carefully drew it down to mine. I kissed him, and we rolled over, so Carlisle was on bottom. His arms went around my waist, securing me to his beautiful body. I sighed-I never, ever wanted to move. "I love you." I murmured. "I love you too, Bella." I smiled a little.


	7. Last AN forever or at least for now

Okay. I have good news and bad news.

The good news is that this story is no longer on hiatus.

The bad news is that I'm not technically adding any chapters yet, I'm just redoing them. So...yeah. After I'm done rewriting the other chapters, I'll upload new ones. Wait breathlessly, faithful readers.

**Kathleen7295**

**PS  
><strong>Check out chapter one again. That's the only chapter I've rewritten so far, but I uploaded it at the same time as I did this.

Check it out.

Also, I'm review starved. Pretty please with a cherry on top review.


	8. Last AN foreveror at least for now

Okay. I have good news and bad news.

The good news is that this story is no longer on hiatus.

The bad news is that I'm not technically adding any chapters yet, I'm just redoing them. So...yeah. After I'm done rewriting the other chapters, I'll upload new ones. Wait breathlessly, faithful readers.

**Kathleen7295**

**PS  
><strong>Check out chapter one again. That's the only chapter I've rewritten so far, but I uploaded it at the same time as I did this.

Check it out.

Also, I'm review starved. Pretty please with a cherry on top review.


End file.
